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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29501127">Sacred Potential</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyb3rb0yfri3nd/pseuds/cyb3rb0yfri3nd'>cyb3rb0yfri3nd</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Universe, F/M, Gen, Marley (Shingeki no Kyojin), Marley Arc (Shingeki no Kyojin), Paths (Shingeki no Kyojin), Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Manga Spoilers, Titan Shifters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:29:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29501127</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyb3rb0yfri3nd/pseuds/cyb3rb0yfri3nd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eldians, possessing a power way beyond comprehension, are what one would call powerful. Unfortunately, only nine lucky individuals would be able to tap into this ability. They are the Nine.</p><p>     But this isnt as true as everyone is told. Truthfully, one could potentially tap into these abilities without being one of the nine. All you have to do is have a little potential.</p><p>     Having a strong connection to paths helps a lot, too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Colt Grice &amp; Falco Grice, Gabi Braun &amp; Falco Grice, Gabi Braun &amp; Falco Grice &amp; Udo &amp; Zofia, Gabi Braun &amp; Reiner Braun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. To be Special</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     When the nine split off from mother, they were each giving one of her unique capabilities. One would get her fierce armor, another her terrifying height, and so on and so forth. They were special, all a byproduct of her, their mother. Ymir Fritz. They were by her side at all times, closer and closer to the tree of life.<br/>
     <br/>
    They were happy, being used for their power, being given a purpose. The humans who possessed the ability to harnest their power tickled them, making them giddy to be useful. They were special.<br/>
    <br/>
     Something changed years, decades even, after they were born. A child happened, two of them in fact. What should have been mere eldian children were instead something else. You see, when a child of Ymirs blood is born, their soul is manifested in paths. The soul is buried deep under the sand, and if they happen to become a shifter, their soul is brought to the surface and when they die their human form is created. They dont get paradise, just a never-ending life in a barren plain.<br/>
     <br/>
     Those who die while not a shifter have their soul transferred somewhere far away, though the nine could not tell you where or what that place is. But back to the present, Two children, non-shifters, were born. They were not supposed to be special, only the nine could be, and yet somehow they were.<br/>
     <br/>
     These two children, a girl and a boy respectively, were born closer to the surface than any other before them. So close that when their soul grew with them, there was no doubt that they'd reach the surface.<br/>
     <br/>
     The nine were very wary when these two manifested A never before miracle happening right before their eyes. One of the smaller ones, the one with jaws stronger than their siblings hardening, almost lashed out when the two manifested. They weren't supposed to be special, only the nine were supposed to be. <br/>
     <br/>
     The colossal was there, calming them down. They weren't special. Two children that did not posses the nine were not special. Being or possessing one of the nine made someone special, so if these two did not have one of them, then how could they ever be special.<br/>
     <br/>
     It just didn't make sense.<br/>
     <br/>
     A closer look into the two children would show that no, they weren't special. Just a boy and a girl fighting in a nation that looked down on them. They were one of the unlucky few to be born in the nation of Marley. The girl was from a proud family, who told her that her only worth was to become special.<br/>
     <br/>
     The boy was from a family almost entirely exiled. In order to stop himself from being turned mindless for all of eternity, he was on a mission to become special.<br/>
     <br/>
     They trained with all their might, fighting to be special. Their souls grew and grew, almost to the breaking point.<br/>
     <br/>
     These two children, Gabi of Braun and Falco of Grice, fighting to be one of the nine. They were almost warriors, almost special. Though if one took a closer look they'd find these two children were already almost, if not entirely, special.<br/>
     <br/>
     Turns out, being born closer to the nine, can have some unique advantages.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Not so Special Boy turned Special</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A single soul rises.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     The Female watched on as the not so special child raced ahead of her comrades. Admirable. The young child, a moderately tall brunette girl, was training. The training was simple enough, just an endurance race. The Female could see the flaws in the young chicks technique, racing ahead was not the smartest move.<br/>     <br/>     What the child should have done was stay near the middle and back, waiting for the top racers to tag out due to exhaustion. Though it seemed the young girl had infinite amounts of endurance, and therefore would've won either way. Perhaps The Cart would appreciate her.<br/>     <br/>     Her hair was tied back, strands coming loose and falling in front of her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed red, blood rushing to her head as she ran. Her breaths were short and shallow, showing she was having at least a little bit of trouble keeping pace, and sweat dribbled down her forehead. She would be an excellent choice for The Armored or The Female with her determination.<br/>     <br/>     Not so far behind the not so special girl was the not so special boy. He had a determined look in his eyes and was making sure not to try so hard. While it was obvious he wouldnt be able to beat the first girl, it was also true that he had figured out not to tire out too quickly. This boy, with enough training he would grow to be perhaps the fastest out of all of them. He was admirably smart, though he seemed to jump into trouble without thinking often times. He would make an excellent Cart, perhaps an even better candidate for The Jaw.<br/>     <br/>     Behind the young boy was a tall and lanky girl. Her silvery hair was tied back in a low ponytail, bangs sticking to a sweaty face. This girl didnt seem to be having much trouble keeping up with the not so special child, her long legs keeping her right behind her comrade. Her cheeks were not as flushed, and her breaths were not so shallow. If this girl became special she would be an excellent choice for The Cart, or even The Female. <br/>     <br/>     The last in place was yet another boy. He seemed to be waiting for the others to drop from exhaustion. Very smart, very smart indeed. A look into his physique would show that he very well could be near the front, but willingly chose to take the longer route to winning instead. His glasses seemed to fog up with each breath, showing that while he was in the back he was at least moderately trying. He was the second tallest of the four children, right behind the girl with a stoic face. He would make a magnificent Colossal or Warhammer, if they were to ever get them back.<br/>     <br/>     In all honesty, the likelyhood of these children gaining a power other than The Armored, The Beast, The Jaw, or The Cart was staggeringly low. Her own holder, Annie Leonhardt, was still stuck on Paradis, living out her term in a crystal abyss, waiting to die. The Colossal, having not been lost for long, was able to clue her in on their new holder, a short boy of the Arlert family. The Founding and Attack were on the same island, though they had been missing for so long that she could not tell you what their holder was doing. And The Warhammer seemed very adament on staying with the Tyburs who they are so fond of.<br/>     <br/>     A whistle was blown, and the brunette was deemed the winner. She was bowed over, catching her breath with a smile plastered on her face. The current Armoured watched on with a very similar, albeit smaller, smile. If it was up to her, Reiner of Braun would've never became the current Armoured. It was very obvious he was not fit for the roll, not fit to be special. Though each and every time she brought it up, her sibling told her that he was simply an excellent protector.<br/>     <br/>     Protecting, that's what The Armoured is used for. They were the shield. They protected and protected until there was nothing left to keep safe. It was stupid, she thought. If it was up to her, the Armored would've been an assault unit used to plow down whatever they wanted. Making your ability to protect others the only thing you're ever good at was stupid, you'd spend all your energy on making sure others are safe without ever caring to make sure you are too. This could lead to deaths, lots of them if you weren't able to protect others because you couldn't make sure you were constantly up for it.<br/>     <br/>     She blinked and found herself back in paths. In front of her sat the two children's souls. Falco of Grice's soul was so close to the surface that with a wave of your hand you could clear off the layer of sand that lay atop it. Either he would get one of the nine soon, or well.. Who knows what would happen if a non-shifters soul was brought to the surface.<br/>     <br/>     Just behind his, was Gabi of Brauns. It was clear that hers would take longer to see the surface than her friends, but it was still too dangerously close. If they did meet the surface, would they become a shifter? Perhaps they would become like them, a byproduct of mother? But surely mother would've told them if The Nine would become The Eleven. And if this was true, why two random children? Sure, her and her siblings took on the form of their first individual holders, but is this what it looks like from an outside persepctive? Would these two children get their own abilities-<br/>      <br/>     A hand was put on her shoulder. The Cart. Her dear sibling.<br/>     <br/>     "Your worrying again, Fe."<br/>     <br/>     "They're about to reach the surface, y'know." <br/>     <br/>     "I know. When it happens we will deal with it," a smile appeared on their lips, "but until then, dont worry your little head about it."<br/>     <br/>     Silence struck between the two, neither responding. They both looked at the souls, possibilities running through their heads.<br/>     <br/>     "Art, do you think they'll be like us?"<br/>     <br/>     A slap to her head and an annoyed sibling.<br/>     <br/>     "What did I just tell you? Wait and we'll see!"<br/>     <br/>     "Yeah, yeah..."<br/>     <br/>     Silence again, though this time more comfortable. The Cart sat down, leaning back on their palms. Following their lead, The Female laid to rest as well, sand collecting in her blonde hair. Looking up at the sky, or what they could call the sky, the two watched as souls raised to the heavens and disappeared. From a distance it looked like reverse snowfall, rain or hail even.<br/>     <br/>     Off to the side was The Jaw, who appeared to be chasing The Armored. The Warhammer was watching from a distance, content on their face. The Beast was building what appeared to be a sandcastle, a smile slowly appearing. Mother was nowhere to be found, though if she strained her eyes she could just barely make out three figures in the distance. They were far to far away for her to reach, it would take months, years even, to catch up to them. If she were to turn her head, she could see the eyeless shifters of the past.<br/>     <br/>     They stand there, trapped in an invisible cage. They weren't awake, though conscious she's sure. She wondered what it would be like, to be trapped in time with all those limitations. Paths was finicky, though it was clear that time moved differently than on the Earthern Plain.<br/>     <br/>     They'd be forever frozen, only awoken if Mother or perhaps even someone of the royal bloodline chose to awaken them. Though that's just what they're told, they've never actually tried to wake one up. If they did, who knows what would happen!<br/>     <br/>     Her thoughts were taken as The Cart rose to their feet almost as quick as The Jaw could run. They were yelling, getting everyone's attention.They were pointing, fingers flailing everywhere. Their siblings, sans the ones to far away to hear, were just as quick to come over. She, herself, got to her feet as well. One look at what their dear sibling was pointing at made her gasp in shock.<br/>     <br/>     The boys soul was ever so slightly shuffling it's way to the surface. as the sand gradually fell off of it, the green color illuminated all of its surroundings. As the last fleck of sand tumbled away, the ball of life began to morph.<em> 'So there is going to be another? Will we be called The Ten now?'</em> <br/>     <br/>     The legs were the first to form, coming out fast and lumpy. When they began to take their final form, the arms sprout our as well. They were built with purpose, coming out slow and already in their final form. The torso was stretched and the neck was formed soon after, a head attaching itself. The form shifted for what felt like hours before it illuminated itself so bright they could not see. When the light died down, all that was left was the boy.<br/>     <br/>     ...<br/>     <br/>     "Is it dead?"<br/>     <br/>     "No, he's not dead!"<br/>     <br/>     "Oh my god, did we kill a kid?"<br/>     <br/>     "Jaw- Dear lord, we did not kill the kid!"<br/>     <br/>     "You don't know that! It could very well be dead right now-"<br/>     <br/>     "Quiet!"<br/>     <br/>     The Cart, their saviour, was cradling the boy. He seemed to be asleep and thankfully not dead. the problem was that he was not a shifter and was in paths. Their sibling was running their fingers through the child's hair<em> (Falco of Grice, her mind supplied.)</em><br/>     <br/>     "I have an idea." <br/>     <br/>     Thank the gods.<br/>     <br/>     "We need to find Mother."<br/>     <br/>     "Fuck."</p><p>    <em> 'Great choice of words, Jaw, great choice of words.'</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Silent Talk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    The Cart feels smaller than usual under their mothers gaze. Her eyes are blacked out, though she can't shake the feeling that she's looking anywhere and everywhere at the same time. She's sitting in the sand, her finger poking at the the small particles. Next to her is a young boy, though they could not tell you who this boy was.</p><p>     Behind them were their siblings, or at least most of them. The Warhammer had refused to come with, staying behind to watch over their chosen. The Jaw and Female were tending to the little child, who seemed to be stuck in a never ending slumber.</p><p>     'I'm sorry,'  is delicately written in the sand, 'I don't know why this happened.'</p><p>     There's a pause, a silence, and she turns slightly to the side and back again.</p><p>     'But Eren might know.'</p><p>     The name is familiar, The Cart's chosen definently knows who this Eren is. Where they lack in knowledge, the Female takes up. She informs them that Eren is the name of The Founding and The Attack's chosen. She tells them that the child looks a bit like the Eren her chosen knew, just very much younger. His hair is fluffier, a lighter brownish-black than the deep black it is now. His eyes have a vibrant green glow to them even while blacked out, different to the fierce pale green-grey ones The Female describes. </p><p>     The boy is nudged by Mother, and he startles quickly. His eyes are no longer blacked out, the green glow matching the green irises. Mother asks him why this might have happened, but he just responds with a small 'Older me would know.' This leads to The Jaw yelling a stream of angered curses, while The Armored is used as their punching bag. </p><p>     "Shit! Now we have to travel day and night to find this brats future self? You gotta be kidding me!"</p><p>     Their anger and resentment is understandable, the trip to find Mother already took half a month, who knows how long it would take to another being, especially in a sea of blacked out Eldians. They'd have no way to know which person to awaken. In the Paths realm lay hundreds to thousands of old sleeping chosens, the trip to find a single one that no one knew exactly what looked like could take decades.<br/>
     <br/>
     "Well, we could always take the kiddo with us, and he can tell us who to awaken?" They offer, trying to console their tempered sibling. An uncomfortable silence fell between the group, before The Armored stepped up and declared that it seemed like a good enough plan to them.<br/>
     <br/>
     And so they went with it. They began their walk in the direction the boy was headed, straight towards the Life Giver, or as The Jaws called it, 'The Massive Fucking Tree'. Feet sore, backs aching, and eyes unfocused, the sibling tried their best to keep up with the young child's never ending stamina. The young child who supposedly also had an older version of himself existing at the same time as his younger self.<br/>
     <br/>
     'It just doesn't make sense. If he dies when he's older then his child form shouldn't even be here! Which begs the question of how he's here. Does he exist in two time frames? But how? Mother would have told us of an anomaly like this, I'm sure of-...<br/>
     <br/>
     But she didn't. She knew he was there, existing in two time frames and yet she didnt let us know? Did she lie to us? This doesnt make sense, it's as if she doesnt trust us with knowing-'<br/>
     <br/>
     "And you told me to stop thinking so much?" The Female snarkingly piped up, bringing them out of their thoughts.<br/>
     <br/>
     "We're here!"<br/>
     <br/>
     Looking ahead, to where The Colossal was shakingly staring, The Cart took in the frozen form of the young boys other self. Instead of the brown hair and green eyes they had quickly grown accustomed to, lay blanked out tired sockets, a faint grey glow peeking through. Long black hair fell upon his shoulder, and his skin was cold and pale. If They were to be honest, without meeting the boys younger self they would have had no idea this frozen boy was even that, a boy. <br/>
     <br/>
     "Now all you need to do is wake me up, and I'll tell you what happened, probably." was all the child uttered before running away into the distance.<br/>
     <br/>
     "Fucking brat, leaving us here to do his dirty work," The Jaw grumbled, slamming their fist into the frozen Eldian's shoulder, "Wake up moron! Tell us what's happening already!"<br/>
     <br/>
     "Jaw, please, that was uncalled for."<br/>
     <br/>
     "Zip it, you off brand shield. I dont wanna hear shit from you-"<br/>
     <br/>
     "Was there something you needed?"  A silk-like voice interrupted their siblings quarrel.<br/>
     <br/>
     Pale grey eyes stared deeply into their own, an annoyed face was plastered on the child's future self. The Cart took the initiative, stepping in front of their siblings.<br/>
     <br/>
     "Mister Eren, is it? A strange occurence has taken place and we'd like to know if you know anything of it?"<br/>
     <br/>
     His eyebrow twitched, as if he knew they'd ask that.<br/>
     <br/>
     "And if I don't?"<br/>
     <br/>
     "Well, then we'll deal <em>-"Hey! Don't talk to them like that!"-</em> with it ourselves."<br/>
     <br/>
     A moment of silence rippled through the pair, filling the void with an uncomfortable pause in time.<br/>
     <br/>
     "The two children? That's what you want to know about, right?" After a nod from the Colossal, the young adult continued, "I dont know much, but they're important in the future, so just treat them normally." Eren turned to the side, as if he was getting ready to leave.<br/>
     <br/>
     "Yes but, what exactly are they?"<br/>
     <br/>
     "They're normal Eldians, just with multiple shifter abilities."<br/>
     <br/>
     It wasnt the answer they were looking for, but they supposed it would have to suffice. The young man turned completely now, and began to walk away before stopping and staying silent for a moment in time.<br/>
     <br/>
     "They aren't bound by The Curse, by the way."<br/>
     <br/>
     "What the fuck? What the hell does that even mean?"<br/>
     <br/>
     But the boy would not answer, his eyes were back to bring blanked out. Even as The Jaw screamed and shouted for answers, a response never came.<br/>
     <br/>
     "So they're basically a better version of us? Titan Powers with no curse?"<br/>
     <br/>
     The Armored looked distant, as if they were having a hard time processing the information that was just given. Taking a look around, The Female had a similar look, and if they were to look to the right then-<br/>
     <br/>
     "Is that the Founding and Attack?"<br/>
   </p>
<hr/><p>     <em>Coming Soon...</em></p><p>
  <em>     A talk between lost siblings, and tension rises. A breath of fresh air, as a child is shaken awake, and unlocks what appears to be the will of one of their own.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Helloooooo, I've decided to start a new series! This is loosely based off of Special Blood by darkwarlock8773 on Wattpad. I find the idea of nonshifters having shifter abilities fascinating, and I wanted to explore how that could happen and how that would affect canon!!!</p><p>Chapter length may vary, though I will try very hard to make them at least a little long! My updated my be all over the place, but I will try to post a new chapter once every week or two!</p><p>Hope you enjoy !! :DD</p></blockquote></div></div>
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